The Dubai Foundation for Women and Children (DFWAC) has organised an educational event titled “Kindness Makes Us Stronger” to empower and support children by instilling in them self-confidence, self-esteem, and an understanding of emotions and differences.
The event engaged approximately 150 students from the first and second grades at “Next Generation School.”
Essential skills
During the event, specially designed envelopes were distributed to the students that contained various cards that were strategically created to enhance children’s emotional intelligence and encourage positive behaviors. The cards focused on the concepts of “thinking, feeling, and acting” and “your words have an effect.”
Children were taught essential skills such as controlling anger through breathing exercises, accepting differences, and understanding their own feelings.
The event kickstarted with an insightful session on how to foster an approach that enables children to understand themselves and others better. This involved encouraging them to think carefully before taking action, thereby enhancing their ability to respond appropriately in various situations.
Anger management
The event also shed light on the profound impact words can have on emotions, helping children grasp the importance of their vocabulary when interacting with others. Techniques such as deep breathing during anger-induced situations were discussed, demonstrating practical means of preventing potential behavioral missteps with serious consequences.
Children naturally exhibit a range of emotions spontaneously, unless external factors intervene. Hence, proper upbringing and maintenance of a child’s psychological well-being entail encouraging them to express their varied emotions appropriately. This includes both negative emotions like anger and fear as well as positive feelings like love and kindness.
DFWAC noted that allowing children to express their negative emotions and channel them constructively can pave the way for positive emotions to flourish. Conversely, suppressing these feelings can potentially lead to mental health disorders. Therefore, an understanding, tolerant, and accepting environment is essential for a child’s emotional development, which, in turn, contributes to a more loving and inclusive society.
Awareness of positive behaviors
Sheikha Al Mansouri, Acting Director General of DFWAC, emphasised that child protection is a paramount goal for the foundation, hence it will spare no effort to promote education and positive behavioral reinforcement to ensure a secure environment for children.
Al Mansouri emphasised that organising events like “Kindness Makes Us Stronger” plays a dual role. Not only do they help achieve the critical goal of reducing negative behaviors among students, but also foster awareness of positive behaviors. Furthermore, they encourage the adoption of beneficial behaviors while developing an understanding of the repercussions linked with negative ones.
She stressed on the importance of building on these educational initiatives, asserting that they are instrumental in cultivating a remarkable generation marked by psychological and social health. Ultimately, this will have a positive and enduring impact on the UAE’s journey towards sustainable development.
